Art to Heart

Like many of the parents interviewed for Art to Heart, Victor Sweatt of Louisville believes that art opportunities are important—for children of all ages. “They are a part of children’s natural growth,” he says. “It gives them a voice. It gives them an identity, lets them express themselves.”

And when parents and children spend time doing hands-on art activities together, it’s an important foundation for closeness and communication. “They learn love through that—that someone is taking the time to find out how they feel about things. The art usually turns into words.”

Activities don’t have to be complicated to be enjoyable, Sweatt says. He and his 3-year-old daughter Victoria enjoy coloring together and making projects such as the diorama shown in the Art to Heart segment. “I let her use different supplies, fabrics, paints, just let her explore. She may line up blades of grass and make a train. Or take a stick and draw in the dirt and use rocks for eyes. She may want to paint right over what she has just done, even though I think it’s beautiful. I think the key is to let them make something out of nothing, to try new things, and to slow down and relax.”